Our Team
The role of the Bereaved Families of Ontario-Durham Board of Directors is to ensure that this organization is responsibly managed and that its goals are met effectively and efficiently. These dedicated volunteer Board members are responsible for decision making, including strategic planning, finances, organizational operations, community relations and human resources. They also ensure that the programs and services reflect the mission and goals of the organization.
This Board is a managing Board who, together with the Executive Director, and volunteers, assists in the operation of BFO-Durham. Board members are not required to be bereaved parents; previous experience is an asset.
The Board of Directors meets once a month, and when the need arises for special called Board meetings. Some of our Board Members have served on the Board for an extended period of time showing their dedication and belief in BFO-Durham.
2026/ 2027 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chris Garvey
Board Chair
Chris has been a sales rep for over 30 years, the last 20 in optical sales. He has been married to his wife Suzanne for 26 years. He is the proud father of two children. Tragically his eldest child Blake passed away in 2013. In July of 2013, Chris found support through BFO – Durham. In 2014, he became a trained facilitator and started facilitating one-on-ones and drop-in support nights. He also resurrected and facilitated the Fathers’ support group that had been absent for many years. In 2016, he was recognized as Volunteer Of The Year.
Chris has also represented BFO-Durham at many speaking functions and has been on many fundraising committees. In 2016, Chris along with his wife Suzanne started the Bike, Blade and Board for Blake fundraiser to honour Blake and to raise funds for BFO-Durham and Durham Mental Health Services. Chris has been serving as a director on the BFO-Durham Board since 2015
Charlotte Brisco
Board Chair
Charlotte lost her 18 year-old son Michael to colon cancer on January 6, 2002. After months of
debilitating grief her family physician prescribed an antidepressant and referred her to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist advised her to call Bereaved Families of Ontario (BFO): Durham Region.
He told her that only people who had experienced the loss of a child could help her to navigate the loss of her own child.
She contacted BFO and soon received the help that she so desperately needed. Wanting to give back to
the community, she took the BFO facilitator training program and has conducted one-on-ones, drop-ins and co-facilitated many closed mothers’ and couples groups for over 20 years. In December of 2020 Charlotte was the proud recipient of the Ontario Volunteer Service Award pin and certificate “in celebration of her commitment to volunteerism” for over 10 years.
A retired communications, and program development officer at the Workers Health & Safety Centre in Toronto, Charlotte brings 33 years of experience developing and instructing occupational health and safety courses for workers across Ontario.
As a communications officer she also has many years of writing, interviewing and photography skills which makes her uniquely qualified to be BFO: Durham’s official photographer.
Charlotte is married and has a bonus daughter, son-in-law and two very active grandchildren aged 7and 5 years who keep her and her husband on their toes.
Sharon Sears
Board Member
Sharon became a member of Durham B.F.O shortly after the loss of her son Andrew in 1994 and her infant daughter Rebecca in 1995. Sharon is married with 3 daughters and 6 beautiful grandchildren. She is a trained facilitator and has facilitated many drop-in support nights and infant loss closed groups, as well as provided one-on-one support to bereaved parents.
She is on the Angel Tree Committee, the Walk To Remember Committee and the Beach Dance Committee. She is also the former Executive Director, a job that she loved dearly. She stepped down from her position in 2016 to provide daycare for her grandchildren. She is so grateful for the support B.F.O has given her and continues to give her and her family.
Kirsty Bradshaw (Sinclair)
Board Member
Kirsty came to BFO-Durham in January 2015 after losing her eldest son, Kyle, in November 2014.She attended drop-ins for a year then took part in a closed mums 12 week group in the spring of 2016. She has made many bonds as well as friendships and finds great solace in knowing other bereaved parents who understand what she is going through.
She took the facilitator training in Jan 2017 as she knew she wanted to give back and want to help other bereaved parents. She has facilitated drop-ins, done one on ones and facilitated closed mums groups.
This past spring shw was fortunate enough to be part of our first children’s program, which was for children from the ages 6-12 who have lost a sibling. She worked with the 6-8 year olds. She is also part of the children’s program this fall, this time working with the 9-12 year olds.She became a board member in June 2019 and is also on the Angel tree committee, Beach Bash committee and the Santa Brunch committee.
She has 2 other sons and a daughter as well as 2 grandsons who are her pride and joy and couldn’t be more proud of them all.
Karen Fish
Board Member
In July of 2017, Karen came to BFO following the tragic loss of her 28 year old son, Derek James Fish. Derek was the younger of her 2 sons. After attending several drop ins and a twelve week closed mom’s program, she quickly realized that she had found exactly where she needed to be as a grieving parent. BFO-D became her safe haven. Knowing how important it is to give back to an organization that had provided her with so much help and hope, volunteering was her obvious next step.
Karen completed the Facilitator Training Program offered by BFO-D in the fall of 2019, began to do one on one sessions with new parents, Interviews, and to facilitate both drop-ins and the 12 week moms’ closed groups.
As her passion for all things BFO-D continued and deepened, Karen began to volunteer for various fundraising committees, first the Santa Brunch, then a yard sale, followed by The Walk to Remember, the Annual Dance, Angel Tree, etc.. Knowing how important these fundraisers are, as there is no government funding available to BFO-D, she wanted to do everything in her power to help raise funding for us. At that point, every time a new fundraiser was offered she eagerly continued to volunteer until now she is on just about every committee there is….the ones just listed, as well as the Holiday Market and Bake Sale, The Ride To Remember, The Annual Golf Tournament and of course, always the Santa Brunch, which she now Chairs and will always be an event close to her heart. She also helps out in the office and with other functions such as The Black Rose Tattoo Event and the Children’s Grief Group.
Karen is happily married to her childhood sweetheart Timo Hovanta, has an older son Adam, who lives in Minnesota with his wife Briana, and their two children Ella and Jack. Karen absolutely loves being a Nana and sees them all whenever possible! In her spare time she dog sits and happily annoys her husband. They both love music, attend a lot of concerts and are classic car enthusiasts. She comes to us with Special Education and Autism training as well as a background in volunteering with various organizations geared towards the enrichment of children and teens.
“Being a member of BFO-D literally saved my life. They gave me understanding and purpose, which I desperately needed, and showed me how to navigate this journey of grief. There is no other organization like BFO-D and I am forever grateful.”
Karen has been a board member since April of 2025.
Caroline Goswell
Board Member
Caroline came to BFO-Toronto for support after the loss of her daughter Kelly in June 1992.
After attending a mom’s group, she was invited to take facilitator training which she completed in the fall of 1994.
Caroline facilitated a mom’s group for BFO Toronto, but by this time she had moved with her family to Pickering. Following in her husband, Gary’s, footsteps she began volunteering for BFO Durham, starting out as a member of the Angel Tree committee in 1996. This remains an event very close to Caroline’s heart and she has chaired this committee for many years.
In the early years, Caroline facilitated a mom’s group and one-on-one interviews. She was co-facilitator with Gail Young for the Family Support Nights offered by BFO Durham in the past and was instrumental in reviving the Family Support Night program in 2024 along with Executive Director Jane Carter.
She has been a recipient of the Volunteer of the Year & Volunteer of Distinction awards. If there is a committee for something, Caroline is usually on it, from Walk to Remember, Dance and Gala planning, Picnic & Butterfly Release, Holiday Market and Santa Brunch.
Caroline has been involved with the Board as the recording secretary for the past 8 years and she looks forward to her new role as Board member for BFO Durham Region.
Bobby Parkinson
Board Member
Bobby came to BFO in early 2023, carrying the unimaginable grief of losing his son, Luke, to suicide. As a proud father of five beautiful daughters and a grandfather to two wonderful granddaughters, his family is his world, but this loss shook his foundation. Seeking a lifeline, Bobby joined the Dad’s Group-and it became the one thing that truly helped. Through the group, he found an unshakeable sense of comfort, understanding, and support, realizing he had finally found a community that could help him navigate his journey through grief.
Driven by a deep desire to give back, Bobby completed his facilitator training in 2024. Since then, he has walked alongside other grieving parents, facilitating drop-in sessions, one-on-one support, and the very Dad’s Groups that saved him.
Wanting to make an even greater impact, Bobby stepped into a new chapter in early 2026 by joining the Board of Directors, where he was once again welcomed with open arms.
“Without the unwavering support of BFO, I honestly don’t know where I would be today,” Bobby says.
“My mission now is to ensure that BFO remains a permanent, safe haven, standing ready to support other parents through their absolute darkest days.”
Margaret Fortune
Honorary Board Member
Maggie has owned and operated a business as a Personal Organizer since 2000. Her daughter Annette Elizabeth passed away as a result of an auto accident in 1989 at the age of 20. Maggie attended a Couples’ Group through BFO-Toronto in 1990. She became a bereavement facilitator in the same year and facilitated at BFO-Toronto until her move to BFO-Durham in 2007 where she has been an active volunteer as a facilitator for drop-ins.
Margaret can always be relied on to assist in any fundraising events and has served as a Board member since 2007. Margaret is the recipient of the 2012 Volunteer of the Year Award.
Jane Carter
Executive Director
Jane joined the Board in January 2011 so that she could continue to “give back” to BFO-Durham, as without their continuous support and guidance, she would not be where she is today. She became a member of BFO-D in 2001 following the death of her 13 year old daughter Julie. Fifteen years prior to Julie’s death she lost her son Paul, who was full term, at birth. Jane attended a Mothers’ group early in 2001. She has taken facilitator training and now facilitates groups both in infant loss and older children.
She also manages drop-ins for both age groups. She was the Chairperson of the Angel Tree Committee for many years and has helped organize several BFO-D dances. She was presented with both the Volunteer of the Year Award and the Susan E. Hendricks Volunteer of Distinction Award. Married and living in Ajax, she has two remaining children Michael, 32 and Jennifer, 29 and was an ophthalmic assistant for 36 years. In 2016, Jane stepped down from the Board to take on the position of Executive Director at Bereaved Families of Ontario – Durham Region.